Morphological and molecular characterisation of Bursaphelenchus parasaudi n. sp. (Tylenchina: Aphelenchoididae) found in loblolly pine logs from the USA

Summary Bursaphelenchus parasaudi n. sp., isolated in Ningbo, P.R. China, from loblolly pine logs imported from the USA is described. It is characterised by a slim body (a = 32-43), lateral field with four lines, excretory pore located at the level of metacorpus, vulva at 76% of total body length, a distinct vulval flap in lateral view, post-uterine branch ca half to two-thirds of the vulva to anus distance long, female tail conical, slightly ventrally curved, with a finely rounded terminus, male spicules with weakly developed rostrum and condylus and cross-striped in their central part, a single precloacal papilla and three pairs of ventro-sublateral papillae. It belongs to the africanus group of the genus Bursaphelenchus and is most similar to B. saudi . Detailed phylogenetic analysis based on the partial 18S region, ITS and 28S D2-D3 region confirmed the status of this nematode as a new species.